Ready or Not
by laverene
Summary: His friends thought it was unhealthy for him obsessing over an evil ex-girlfriend. So they dared him to talk to the girl on the corner of the room. He thought he'd never see her again...but he's wrong. And she's just like a roller coaster ride, do you think he's ready?
1. The Coffee Shop

I know I have a lot of unfinished stories, but you know what they say: when you got something in your mind you better write it down and I'm not making any promises because I'm pretty bad at keeping promises... so yeah I'll update my other stories when I have the chapter ready or not too busy but trust me I missed writing a lot and it's not fun to have writer's block :/

Enjoy!

* * *

The day begins in the middle of one afternoon. Austin is not paying attention to the chemistry book laying on the table in front of him, he hasn't even touched the coffee that the barista has made him thirty minutes ago.

Why does everything in this shop remind him of her? Oh why is the sky so blue today, it looks just like her piercing eyes and the wooden table too, it reminds him too much of her breezy caramel hair. Why does God hate him?

Trish and Dez sit quietly, trying to analyze their shrunken best friend from across the table. They look at each other for a moment and shake their heads. This whole studying outside the house thing is supposed to help him to detox her from his memory and so far it is not working.

"Austin," Trish sighs, "why are you doing this to yourself?"

"Yeah buddy, watching you like this is like watching the ending of Titanic," Dez confesses as he slumps into his chair, "sad and depressing."

Austin looks at the two of them. They don't know a thing, they have never been in love and they have never even in a relationship before. They don't know anything.

"You have to get over her it's been a month, you caught her cheating and you still want her back, that's just crazy! She's a bitch!" Trish is starting to get irritated by his overrated mourning routine. She could handle depressed, but handling a broken-hearted Austin who is still keeping all the bitch's photos in his cell is too much for her plate. "And we've been over this like a billion times, forget about her!"

"Yeah she's probably screwing the entire baseball team right this second."

Trish punches his arm lightly, "Shut up freckles you're not helping!"

Austin sighs, "You guys just don't get it, I feel like s—"

"Shit?" Dez offers, "like I haven't heard that before."

"Look Austin, I know you think that Brooke is the center of your universe right now but she's not. It's not like you're not going to find some other girls who you'd love and cherish again for the rest of your life. And I'm telling you she doesn't give two shits about you, otherwise she'll be here and kissing your ass for forgiveness maybe even make you pancakes too. So now put the pouty face away and let's study some chemistry!" Trish ends the speech with a smile, hoping her wisdom words are strong enough to knock into his senses.

"Chemistry, it's the only class I have with her," Austin says quietly.

Trish slaps her forehead with her hand and looks at her ginger friend, "God! Dez do something!"

Dez smiles and pats her shoulder, "I got this. Dr. Dez is in the house." He stares at his blonde friend, squints his eyes and rubs his invisible beard. "Austin, sometimes healing a broken heart can be hard. But the best way to fix it is to find another heart and throw away the broken one," he said. "So in that case, please turn around and talk to the girl who's sitting alone next to the refill table."

Trish claps her hands excitedly, "I agree. You need to date someone else. And I think you and that girl over there would make a cute couple."

Austin looks over his shoulder. He sees the girl who his friends are talking about. She is cute, light brown curly hair, brown eyes which are glued to the book she is reading and without even touching her face he knows she's got a nice complexion. But she's no Brooke King, she doesn't have those piercing blue eyes, long and wavy caramel hair and her vanilla scent.

Trish watches her friend's demeanor and she knows he is comparing the girl with the bitch in his messed up brain, so she says, "Okay, here's the deal Austin, if you talk to her now and ask her out on a date, just one. Dez and I will stop bugging you about Brooke? That sounds good huh?"

"Yeah and we will help you to get back together with her," Dez says and Trish kicks his foot under the table, "ouch.. I mean if you want buddy. But it'd be best if you don't."

That is a pretty good deal. Austin thought inside his head. He won't have to hear Trish bitching about Brooke for twenty-four hours and Dez can... be Dez. So the problem's off.

"But what if she doesn't want to go on a date with me?" Austin asks.

"Then I'm going to drown your phone in your untouched coffee," Trish threatens him, "Look, I think we're doing you a huge favor so quit stalling and go swoon her Romeo!"

It doesn't take that long, to walk ten feet to her table, she has her legs crossed like all women do when they are sitting. She is reading a novel with a complicate title on the cover and he thinks it weighs like ten pounds. In front of her is a big mug of plain black coffee and a medium size of chewy chocolate chip cookie lying on a tissue. She is so petite when he takes a look closer at her. He is struggling inside on what he wants to say to her. _Hi I'm Austin, my friend dared me to talk to you so could you help me and go on a date with me. —_Oh God, that sounds abhorrent. She'll never agree to go on a date with him. But it's worth a try right?

The girl is starting to notice him, "Can I help you with something?"

"Yeah, you kinda can," he scratches his neck nervously, "so um you notice the Spanish looking girl and redheaded guy behind me?"

She leans away from the wall and sees a girl and a boy watching them. They panic when she sees them and covers their faces in a swift movement with a book. "The ones who are reading the books upside down?"

Austin looks back at his friends, "Yup that's them."

She looks at him now waiting for him to continue.

"Oh right, well they dared me to talk to you and ask you on a date, but of course we don't have to do the date thing we could just pretend or lie... And I'm sorry if I'm interrupting you but could you help me and act like with hit it off so they would get off my back?" He explains in one breath.

"Oh wow," she says, smiling, "I don't know what to say. But aren't you supposed to ask my name first to take me on a date?"

Austin mentally slaps himself in the head, "Right um.. yeah sorry. What's your name?"

"I'm Ally," she offers her hand to shake.

He gladly takes it and shake it together with his hand. "I'm Austin." He could hear Trish squealing behind him.

"So you want to tell me, why did your friends urge you to talk to me?" Ally asks all interested, closing the book in her hand and puts it inside her purse. She then lets her hands rest on the table freely.

Austin sits on the empty chair in front of her, "For a starter, they're crazy and they think I'm crazy for still thinking about my previous girlfriend who I have found cheating on me. And they threatened me to drown my new phone. So yup they're pretty evil."

"Well that's a bummer," she says. "But hey at least they're not going to drown your phone now."

Austin laughs slightly at her comment. He doesn't know what should he talk about to the girl whom he has never seen in his entire life until today. So he panics and just looks at his palm. He has never been this nervous around a girl before, not even Brooke. Because every time he tried to take her on a nice date, she would suggest to stay at his big house and make out from the night to the dawn. They rarely have to talk at all, their mouths are occupied for something else. Can't blame him if he is no experts with words around the ladies.

"For trying to hit on me, you sure are doing fine," Ally says sarcastically, sipping a bit of the her coffee.

"I'm not trying to hit on you," he explains, "I'm _pretending_ to hit on you."

"And you're not doing a pretty good job either, cause your Latina friend over there starts getting a bit suspicious," she glances at Trish who is kind of raising her eyebrow and whispering something into the ginger guy's ear. "Maybe this is why your girlfriend cheated on you, because of your lack of communication skill."

Ouch that's harsh.

"Excuse me?" he blinks, this girl, Ally, who he just met today is judging his relationship. And being judge or look down by someone he just met is not something that Austin Moon enjoys. "Do you usually bash on people who you have just met?"

"Pretty much," she says. "But at least I'm honest."

"Yeah and I can see that," he replies, "maybe that's why you're sitting here all alone."

She suddenly stands up from her chair and about to pick her purse up, "I don't appreciate you talking to me like that. That's so disrespectful."

Austin is so confused. One minute they are just fine, she was sweet and fun to talk to and now she's mad and ready to storm out the coffee shop because one small remark that she started. This girl is cray cray. But he needs her help to stop his friends from drowning his phone and that phone contains a lot of memories of Brooke. It's one step closer to get Brooke back.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm leaving, I hope your friends enjoy drowning your phone."

He grabs her left hand, "Please, my phone means a lot to me."

Ally looks down at the desperate guy in front of her, then she feels her cell phone vibrates inside of her pocket and she flips it open, _Ally, come quick Dr. M is on the way, if you're not back in fifteen minutes I'm doomed! ~Em_.

"I really have to go," she says.

He looks at her and sees that she is in hurry, "Oh okay. I'm sorry though for bothering you."

She screams in her head, she has a soft spot for pouty face and disappointment. "Look, I'm still going to help you okay just introduce me to your friends."

Austin knits her eyebrows in confusion before he can say anything, he feels a strong drag and suddenly they're in front of his actual table.

Trish and Dez act surprise, "Austin! Who's this lovely young woman?"

He clears his throat, "Guys, this is Ally and Ally these are Trish and Dez."

Ally smiles, "Nice to meet you guys," and then she looks at Austin, she pulls out a paper of her purse and writes something down then hands it to him. "Call me about the date?" She takes a step forward and tiptoes before her soft lips brushes his cheek. He is caught off guard.

She looks away for a second before looking back at him and says, "Bye!"

And she's vanished from the shop.

Austin looks down at his friends, their jaws are down on the floor.

"Dude you just met her and you're so close to get to the first base!" Trish squeals.

Dez agrees, "Yeah buddy, that was basically the zero point five base!"

"So you're gonna call her right?"

Austin nods and touches his cheek, she's leaving a lip gloss stain on him. He can't help but remember the smooth touch of her lips. He takes a look at the folded piece of paper in his hand and opens it but all he gets is; _You're welcome :)._

He hates to admit, he's a bit disappointed.

He was expecting to see some numbers.

* * *

How was that?

So um if I get ten reviews on this chapter, I'll keep posting this story. I just want to know it is worth of my time because of you know... school is pretty hectic these days :(

~Liana


	2. Sea Pines Psychiatric Hospital

Hiya, people! I just want to say a quick thank for your reviews in the first chapter, holly cow 22? I love you guys! I really really appreciate it. And I was going to update this earlier but you know school is a bitch so yeah.

So please enjoy this chapter :)

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It is dark and it's about 6:30 p.m. With her arms crossing her chest, Ally walks pretty quickly in her sneakers, and soon she is standing in front of Sea Pines Psychiatric Hospital. It looks like a giant house from the outside but definitely not big enough for a hospital. It is a three-floor building, each floor represents people who dominate the floor. Ally used to live in the third floor because third floor is for the teens. But thanks to the flood in the bathroom, the teens were evacuated to the first floor joining the adult compound. Also, it makes her easier to sneak out. She doesn't have to climb through the fire-escape and hop on the neighbor's rooftop.

Now all she has to do is, jump through her temporary room window and watch out for the security guards who spend all day watching the football game on TV. Also, she has Emilia to help her. She is one of the nurses in the hospital, they sort of became friends. At first it was hard to convince Emilia to be her partner in crime, but with a little puppy eyes and a promise of chewy chocolate chip cookie everyday after her forbidden adventure, she got Emilia on board.

Ally has successfully climbed in the window and quickly shoves her shoes under the bed. She pulls the covers over her head and pretends to sleep. She hears the door slides open and the sound of Dr. M clicky heels. She doesn't have to look up to know Emilia is behind the doctor.

"Allyson," Dr. M slowly shaking her arm, "wake up sweetie, it's time for your daily check-up before bed."

Ally faked a yawning, "Oh hi Dr. M and Emilia!"

Emilia looks at her nervously, she was so scared Ally wasn't going to make it here on time but she did. She has to give this kid a thumb's up.

"Nurse Emilia told me you've been sleeping all day, why?"

"I was tired, maybe that's one of the side effects from the new pill you gave me last week. I mean they're pretty strong!"

"I see," the doctor nods, "so are the morning headaches gone?"

"Yeah, little by little."

"No suicidal thoughts?"

Ally looks up to the ceiling, thinking, "None, as I recall."

Dr. M puts her notes on her laps and smiles at her semi-proud. "That's great, you're getting better day by day."

Emilia finally gives her the thumb's up.

"So I could go home?" Ally asks excitedly. You cannot deny there are glitters in her eyes.

"Two weeks approximately," Dr. M answers, "now get back to sleep sweetie and remember tomorrow will always be a better day."

Dr. M pats her shoulder before exiting the room, leaving Ally and Emilia alone.

Emilia sits on the edge of her bed, "Now that you'll go home in two weeks, are you going to stop sneaking out?"

Ally rolls her eyes at her playfully, "Don't make me regret buying you the cookie," she says dangling a cookie that she just pulls out under her pillow.

Emilia grabs the cookie from her hand, "No seriously Als, you almost cost me my job today. I thought you weren't going to be back on time, I had to distract Dr. M by showing the breakfast menu for tomorrow three times, she looked at me like I was an idiot!"

"Oh gee, thanks for having a little faith in me Em."

"Any specific reason you were late?"

In an instant second Ally's mind remembers the guy with blonde hair who she met at the coffee shop. But she doesn't want to talk about him, she just wants to appreciate the fact how she could be out of this place in two weeks! Two weeks! She won't have to sneak out again, she'd be able to eat food that she desires, and she won't hear any screaming noises from next doors. "Nope no reason at all."

Emilia raises her eyebrows, "oh really?"

She nods. Suddenly her mother's screaming face flashing through her mind and her eyes started gets watery. She wants to control it but she cannot.

Emilia realizes it and holds her hand, "Ally?"

"Do you.. think they will be happy to have me home.." she asks, her anxiety takes over her body. "They will just put me here again like the last time just because I freaked out over the dinner or something. They don't want me there! Dr. M is making a mistake! She made a mistake, I can't go home! Em, I don't want to go home... They won't be happy when they see me!"

"Calm down Als," Emilia says calmly as possible, "they'd be stupid if they're not happy to see you." She embraces her in a hug, Ally has been like her little sister. She knows Ally is ready to leave this place and she could only pray, Ally's family of assholes won't make up stupid reasons and turn her in again.

. . .

"Well, care to explain to me and your father how you got a C-minus in Biology?" Mimi Moon says in this very dry voice. She sure is mad, she cuts down the grilled chicken on her plate as if the chicken is not dead yet. "This is your last strike young man!"

Austin sits quietly at the dinning table. He hasn't even touched the food yet, ever since he found out Brooke was cheating on him he lost his appetite a little.

Mike Moon looks at his son wearing the same disappointed face as his wife, "You might want to explain why to us, son?"

"Just because you guys are both doctors, doesn't mean I need to get a good grade in Biology," Austin tells them.

"I'm a psychiatrist," Mimi defends herself.

"But still you fix people," he says.

"What are you implying here, son?" Mike asks, chewing down his food. "That we don't pay enough attention to you?"

"Clearly," Mimi says in her loud voice, "Austin is still in the mourning of his girlfriend whom he had found cheating on him, what's her name again Beatrice—"

"Brooke, her name is Brooke mom," his mom has never remembered her name, it bugs him big time. They had met plenty of times when Brooke hung out at their house.

"My point is, sweetie you need to let it go you won't want to a stupid girl ruin your grades!"

Austin sighs, "Okay mom I promise it won't happen again. I'm not really hungry so I'm just going to bed—"

"Wait! You don't think your father and I don't have any punishment for this, do you?" Mimi smirks and folds her hands on her chest.

"We do?" Mike asks confused.

She rolls her eyes at her husband, "Yes Mike we do. Starting tomorrow, every day after school you have to do volunteer work in my hospital. One of our staff is taking a vacation so the job will be yours for three weeks maximum. You will associate with the patients, help with the food, mop the floors when it's needed and since you love the music you are welcome to play there every music session. You know what they say, music is a natural medicine," she finishes it off with a daring smile.

"How is that going to help me out with my grades?" Austin shouts, "It'd only make it worse cause the time I'll be spending in your crazy hospital! Right dad?"

Mike shrugs his shoulders, refuses to get involved in the argument or otherwise he will sleep on the couch tonight. And the couch is not a really comfortable place to sleep. "Son, I think your mother is right."

Mimi smiles in victory, "Thank you Mike."

"Why are you trying to ruin my life?!"

Mimi takes a forkful of the pasta and chews it in her mouth as she watches her only son walk angrily to his room upstairs. "Maybe you should ask that to Bianca."

"It's Brooke!" he shouts before slamming his bedroom door.

* * *

So yup Austin's mother is Ally's psychiatrist and in the next chapter we will have Austin and Ally meet again for the second time! I know it's a tad short and this isn't the best and I could have done it better but I don't want you guys to wait any longer.

And remember to always review, alert, and favorite!

~Liana :)


	3. Two Hallways in A Day

Well this is chapter three sorry to keep you guys waiting for so long :(

Enjoy!

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"Is this a joke?" Austin asks her best friends. And the way they look at him, he knows it wasn't a joke. He shakes his head in denial, this can't be happening. No. Not to him. This is like the worst day ever. It's like the curse in his life keep growing, isn't being cheated by his girlfriend enough? And now this? Why does life hate him?

Trish sighs and puts her hand on his shoulder, "We didn't plan it I promise. It sort of happened."

Dez nods in agreement, "And it's not a big deal really."

"So you're telling me, my two best friends are now in a relationship isn't a big deal at all?" Austin asks clearly still in shock of their little confession. "And you decided to tell me now? In front of my locker when I am just about to go to Biology the worse class ever... Thanks guys, thank you very much for making the rest of my day miserable."

"Look dude," Dez says, starting to get a little annoyed with his reaction to the news. He thought he'd be happy or at least pretend to be happy for them. "It's not like we're trying to keep it from you, it's just that we've been hinting it for you for a while."

Austin blinks in disbelief. So this has been going on for a while now? Ah, that explains why they didn't argue much often lately. Or when Trish kind of sitting one feet too close to Dez yesterday at the coffee shop. And when Dez shared his gingerbread cookies with her, why didn't he see it coming? Dez has never shared gingerbread cookies with anyone.

Trish rolls her eyes at his blond best friend, "If you want to blame someone for this, blame yourself. Because you've been ditching us to hang out with Brooke, so we kinda got together."

"Yeah without you around we kinda explored each other, emotionally and physically," Dez says, winking at the short Latina next to him. Trish shoots him a death glare and punch the side of his arm lightly.

Trish looks at Austin, "Really Austin, it's not going to change anything between the three of us. We're all still friends."

Austin snorts, starts walking and they follow him, "Yeah it does actually. You guys are my best friends and it'd be hard for me not to picture you guys doing...uh like Dez said _physical_ stuff."

"Dez wasn't supposed to tell you that," Trish says, "besides we just wanted to tell you about us, because I don't want you to freak out when I ask you to go on a double date with us, you and Ally and me and Dez."

Oh right, he told them, the girl who he met yesterday, Ally and him we will be going on a date. That girl must be a terrific actress since Trish and Dez really bought it. But see, that will be a big problem because he doesn't have her number. Though he still keeps the paper that he received from her.

"Oh that is not necessary," Austin utters.

"Why?" Dez asks, "Dr. Dez over here thinks you have a real chemistry."

"Plus we just want to make sure you guys really go on a date," Trish adds.

Austin bites his lips, thinking hard for a good enough reason to say why she had to cancel the date or something. But he got nothing.

"Uh-oh, bitch alert," Trish mumbles when she sees Brooke walking in their direction.

Brooke's eyes lit up when she sees Austin and quickly runs to him, "Austin!"

"Here we go," Dez sighs.

"Hi Austy! Long time no see huh?" Brooke giggles and grabs him into a tight hug. "I miss you!"

Austin is stunned, he doesn't know what to do. Should he hug her back or push her away. But his body is deciding to hug her back. Seemed like his body is missing her warm embrace. Her long caramel hair and her sweet vanilla scent. He missed them.

Trish hit his back immediately, "Austin what are you doing?"

Brooke rolls her blue eyes, "Oh hey Trish, didn't see you there? Not my fault you're too short."

"If you're still my best friend's girlfriend that comment would've stunk a lot. But you're not so I could care less," Trish retorts back. "Come on Austin, let's go to our last class so we can meet your _girlfriend_ after school!" Trish says, shouting the girlfriend part out loud deliberately.

"Girlfriend?" Brooke looks at Austin, who's completely oblivious of what Trish trying to do.

Trish fakes a smile, "Oh I'm sorry you didn't know that? Not my fault you're a two-timing bitch."

Dez chuckles and smiles proudly at his little girlfriend. As the bell rings, he drags Austin to their class, "Come on dude."

"Trish? What were you thinking?" Austin screams.

"What? I'm not going to let you embarrass yourself especially in front of her," she states.

"But I thought we made a deal yesterday, if I talked to the girl which I did, you and Dez won't interfere my relationship with Brooke!"

"What relationship? It ended remember, she cheated on you," Dez reminds him.

Austin sighs, "But maybe she has a great explanation why she did it."

"Are you seriously going to give her a second chance?"

Austin thinks for a second. Everybody deserves a second chance right?

"Listen Austin, we told you we'll leave you alone if you go on one date with this Ally girl. And you obviously haven't done it yet, so we're still allowed to interfere with whatever you have with Brooke get it? Good. Now shush the teacher's coming."

. . .

As soon as he arrives at the hospital, his palms are sweating. The last time he stepped a foot in here, he was only ten and some bald man screamed at him and made him cry and hid behind his mother. And he promised to himself he would never enter this building again. But now, on a Tuesday afternoon, he is there and volunteering because he got one bad grade.

The atmosphere is different compared to the outside world. The first thing he notices is this old man with a really long white hair sitting on one of the waiting benches near the receptionist. The man looks so depressed like something has been bothering him for a while, he looks at the ground like the floor is made of gold.

"That's Abraham, he has what you call Glossophobia or social anxiety disorder. He hasn't talked in a week and he doesn't like when people are looking at him," says a nurse behind the receptionist counter.

"What kind of disorder is that?" he asks

"It's not a disorder, it's just rude," the nurse answers with a plain smile. "How can I help you?"

He squints his eyes, trying to read her name tag, "Nothing..um Emilia. I'm just looking for my mom's office or here you might call her Dr. Moon."

"Oh so you must be Austin then, we've been expecting you! Her office is down the hall. But before you go further, I need to know if you have any sharp object on you?"

"No."

"Good, but I still need your keys and shoelaces," Emilia demands.

"Why?"

"Rules are rules. Beside you don't want one of the patients strangle you to death with your own shoelaces, do you?" she laughs at her own joke.

He forces a laugh, "No I don't."

He collects his car and house keys and his shoelaces then gives them to Emilia.

Austin goes straight to her mother's office and ignoring the crazy people in the hallway because honestly he is a little bit freaked out. He sees his mother at her desk dress all in white. It feels strange to see his mother in her uniform. On top of the desk there are a bunch of his pictures as a little kid and their family. There's also a picture of their dog Maxwell who died due to a mysterious illness. When the dog died he was a devastated little kid.

"Great, you're here!" Mimi says with too much excitement.

"Mom you wanted me here, don't act so surprised," he rolls his eyes and plops down on the black leathered couch.

"Watch your tone young man, want to extend your punishment for another week?" she threatens.

"Sorry," he mumbles. "What time can I go home actually?"

"At dinner time so that be around six-thirty," she answers. "Then you still have time for homework and study."

Austin is still convinced this is a ridiculous punishment and this could be counted as child slavery. He feels like he wants to explain that to his mom but that could get him another week in this damned place.

"So what should I do?"

"You can find nurse Emilia, she'll give you a tour of the place and then you could meet the patients or you could teach them to play some of the instruments and stuff," Mimi explains, not looking directly at her son. She is too busy with the documents in front of her.

"Should I go to the nurse now?"

"That'd be great, hun," she smiles.

Austin smiles back at her and quickly steps outside from his mother's offices. He takes a deep breath and thinks can today get any worse? He found out Trish and Dez has been dating for weeks and they demanded a double date with the girl who he pretty sure can't reach again. Then Brooke skipped toward him in the hallway and hugged him messing with his freaking emotion, pretending she didn't do anything wrong.

Then he sees her, the petite light brown haired girl walking in sandals while tucking her hands inside her purple jacket. That's Ally, the girl from the coffee shop. What is she doing in his mother's hospital?

Her eyes make contact with his by accident. She instantly regrets it and turns around to walk to the other direction.

"Hey! Wait!" Austin shouts, chasing after her.

"No shouting in the hallway!" The nurse that greeted him earlier suddenly pops up out of nowhere and stops the two of them from running.

"I know you!" He says, pointing at Ally and ignoring the presence of the nurse.

Ally turns around and faces him, "No you don't. Nope I've never seen you in my life."

Emilia raises her eyebrows in confusion. "What's going on?"

"I know her!" Austin declares, "I saw her yesterday at Coffee-Tea-Ria."

"Shut up!"

"Ah so that's why you were late yesterday, you met Austin," Emilia says in realization and winks at Ally, who's clearly annoyed. "All right, I'm going to let you guys catch up and if you two are finished find me because I have to give Austin a tour."

With that she leaves the two teenagers alone in the long stranded hallway. They look at each other, can't believe that they meet again in a place like this and none of them is brave enough to break the ice.

"So.." he begins.

"Are you like stalking me or something? What are you doing here?" she snapped at him, folding her hands beneath her chest. "What were you thinking ranting me out like that? We're lucky it's Emilia if it was the other nurses or the stuff they'll report me to Dr. M and she won't let me go out of here!"

He gulps, he's still processing about what just happened.

"What are you doing here?" she asks again.

"Uh, Dr. Moon volunteered me to work here for a while," he answers.

"Why?"

"She's my mother," he tells her.

Ally runs her fingers through her hair, "Great, that's just peachy." She couldn't believe that she helped out Dr. M's kid yesterday. She should have been more careful with strangers. Isn't that the main issue why she's being put here. She's sure Dr. Moon won't let her come home now. She looks at the guy in front of him, "You should find Emilia now."

"Oh right," he replies. "And don't worry I won't tell my mom about yesterday. It's the least I can do after what you did for me."

Ally nods, "Thanks."

"No problems," he says and gives her a warm smile before walking in the other direction. He starts to wonder why is she in this place.

* * *

I don't know about this story guys, should I go on with it?

Tell me what are your thoughts on reviews :)

~Liana


	4. Take Control and Man Up!

I changed my username to _laverene_ I don't know why but I think it's simple and easy. But don't ask me what is the meaning of it, and I don't have a freaking clue. And I also want to thank for the reviews, favorites, and alerts I've been getting on this story. It means a lot :).

A guest told me on the previous review she/he doesn't know where is the story going and let me tell you, I don't either! haha I just let the fingers do the work :O But thanks for having faith on me guest.

Also, I'm finally planning to finish this story before Febuary I already type out a couple chapters. So I was thinking this story could have 15 chapter more or less. It really depends on you guys!

So without further ado, because I know only a few people or maybe no one reads this really _short_ note, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Enjoy!

* * *

Austin has managed to get through a week working in the hospital. It wasn't an easy ride to go through, but at least he only has two more weeks left. His job is considered simple, he just needs to mop the floor and makes sure that all the patients finish their meal. But approaching the patients is the hardest part.

He has successfully approached some of the patients, like Tony, a thirty-four year old dude who recently lost all his business and one afternoon he found out his family had left him. He is depressed because of that and hadn't left his house for a month. His mother found him and thought he needed some medical treatment so that's why he ends up in here. Other than that, he is an okay man. He told Austin he has a passion for music so whenever he's over they often jam together in the living room. He's a badass guitarist.

And there's Paxton, a guy who likes to nibble his thumb. He is only three years younger than Tony. He claimed to be an expert on women. He knows all the tricks to melt the ladies' hearts. He was sent here because when he got rejected by women he started to scream, threatening to kill himself and it scared the hell out of his parents.

According to Emilia, there are only seven teens here, they are mostly here because of eating disorders or depression. So they are kind of the biggest challenge for Austin. But when he asked about Ally, Emilia just tried to shrug off the topic or say it's not her place to say.

She is like a puzzle that he'd like to finish but he rarely saw her. Not in the living room where everyone usually hangs out to play board games, watch movies or simply talk. She always stays in her room and away from everybody. She only gets out of there to get her pills and by the time he arrives at the location she would lock herself in her room.

So one afternoon, he comes thirty minutes earlier than usual and sits in the living room. It's just the perfect time, the nurses are about to give the patients their daily medicines. He sees her walking toward the living room wearing the same exact purple jacket that she wore last week when they met for the second time.

Austin stands up from his seat."Hey you! Long time no see... you!" _smooth Austin real smooth. _He thought to himself and scratches the back of his neck nervously.

Ally jumps, he surprised her a little. She didn't expect to see him so early. Yes, she has been trying her best to avoid contact with him. He already knows too much, and now she fears to sneak out because of him being related to the head doctor in the hospital. Sure he said he would never be a snitch but she has a hard time on trusting people nowadays.

"Hi to you too," she says, not looking at him directly but looking around the living room for the nurse who usually has her pills.

"So Ally, we are going to do a little jam session after the medicine. Would you like to join us?"

"No thanks. I don't like music," she replies, still scanning the room.

Austin lets out a little gasp. "What kind of sick human being who doesn't like music."

"Well in case you forget, you're standing in a hospital so everybody is pretty much sick here," she states coldly.

Then he finally gives up, "What is your problem?"

"I don't think you want to know that."

"That's not what I meant. I mean, what is your problem with me?"

Ally shrugs, "I don't have a problem with you."

"Yes you do, every time I'm here you don't even bother to say hello. When we see each other in the hallway you quickly run to your room like you don't want to see my face and here I am, trying to be a good guy, but you make it so impossible!"

Ally spies the nurse walking in the living room direction from far behind, holding a tray of tiny cups with pills in them. She finally shoots Austin a look and paces toward the nurse, leaving him with no reply to his little outburst.

She approaches the nurse and takes the cup with her name on it and gulps the pills.

"What took you so long Celeste?" she says to the nurse before walking back to her room, not really caring about the nurse's answer.

Austin sighs as he watches her slowly disappear.

What is wrong with her? He has been losing sleep thinking about that. There is just something intriguing about her. He sits back down on his previous chair and leans back on the back of it, his brain is clouded with the thought of her.

"That was painful to watch dude," Paxton plops down on the chair next to him.

"Oh hey bro," he greets him. "Sorry you had to see that."

"I know, you want my advice?"

"What advice?"

"Love or women advice," Paxton says. "I'm the expert on both of those departments."

Austin chuckles, "Thanks man, but I'm not interested in her that way."

"What's wrong with Ally?" he asks, like he's been offended.

"Wait, you know Ally?"

Paxton nods, "Of course, she's a sweet girl that one. But she's not been around lately I wonder why?"

"It's probably because of me, she's been avoiding me. She won't admit it but she has."

"Then you should take control, you're the man. Don't take no as an answer," he winks at Austin then pats his shoulder. "How do you know her?"

"We met once before," he answers.

Then everybody is starting to gather around the living room.

"Austin what are you waiting for, it's jammin' time!" Tony screams as he approaches him and hands him the acoustic guitar.

The patients gather around the room, making a wide circle and allowing Austin to sit in the middle of it. "Okay, what song you guys want to sing today?"

It brings a smile to his face when he sees almost every hand in the room is up in the air. These people are beginning to grow in him. Although the thought of him spending time in this hospital used to spook him to death but his perspective suddenly changed when he learnt they are still normal people only with greater problems.

. . .

It's almost six-thirty p.m., Austin's shift is almost done for the day. But he still has one more thing to do, _take control_. Paxton had been bothering him a lot with the whole Ally thing and he said or more like constrained him to take control since dinner started until it ended. Oddly enough, Tony agreed with him and told Austin that women like to play hard to get. But he isn't trying to get with Ally, he is just curious why she is here. Besides, she's a nice distraction from this whole Brooke fiasco.

So here he is, standing in front of Ally's room. Room number 109.

He knocks the hollow metal door and waits for a response.

A few moments later he hears a small voice inviting him to come in.

Ally is sitting on her bed with a brown book in her lap. She is writing madly in her book, she doesn't even bother to look up to see the guest, thinking it would probably be Emilia.

"I don't think you're allowed to have a pen with you. It's a sharp object."

A frown disfigured her pretty face as she looks up to see Austin standing at the edge of her bed. She quickly pulls up her purple jacket on the night stand and puts it on. She doesn't want him to see her spoiled arms. "And I don't think you're allowed to sneak into a patient's room either. You're not an official staff, you know!"

"But you let me in," he defends himself.

"I thought you were someone else," she rolls her eyes. "What do you want?"

"I want to apologize for earlier, I didn't mean to yell at you," he says.

"Apology accepted, and can you please go now. I've got things to do."

"Like what?" he chuckles as he looks around the room. There's only a bed, a night stand, a medium size table with a chair tucked underneath. He gets it now why she snuck out, this place is plain and boring.

She looks at him, not cracking any smile at all.

He stops laughing, "Sorry, I didn't mean to laugh. I have to ask you something."

"Is it important?" she asks, clearly uninterested.

"It is."

She sighs, "Fine, what?"

He really wants to ask why she is here, but that seems to be a bit inappropriate at the moment.

"What is it Austin?" she asks again, starting to get a little frustrated.

"Will you go on a date with me?" he chokes it out.

Well that wasn't really why he is here, but Trish and Dez have been bugging him for weeks to go on a double date and this will shut them up. "Well I already asked you out before at the coffee shop, but my friends aren't buying it until we go on a date with them tomorrow night."

Her eyes widen, "You told me it was a fake. I already helped you, why didn't you tell them we went on a date and we found out we have zero in common—which is the truth. You can find another girl and ask them to go on the double date with you. And in case if you forget, I can't get out of this place."

_Don't take no as an answer._ Paxton's voice echoes in his head. "You can sneak out. Besides, I won't take no as an answer," he smirks.

"Well my answer is still no. What are you going to do about it?" she defies with her arms crossing her chest.

_Take control my man! _Austin could hear Paxton's voice yelling inside his brain. "You left me with no choice then, I'll just have to tell my mom about our encounter last week," he shrugs. "It's totally your choice."

_Check-mate!_

"Do I really have a choice?" she shakes her head and sighs.

"Not really," he smiles before exiting the room.

"This is blackmailing!" he could hear her scream from inside the room.

* * *

How was it folks? The next chapter will be the double date, I will try to update it tomorrow if I have the time :)

Don't forget to review, favorite and alert!

~Liana


	5. Carnival at The Beach

Hey beautiful creatures, this is chapter five of **READY OR NOT**.

Enjoy!

* * *

"I still think this is a deplorable plan," that is the first thing Ally says, when she meets him in front of Coffee-Tea-Ria for their date. She is wearing a pair of skinny jeans, a plain lime green t-shirt that Emilia lent her and of course the purple jacket she always wears. At least she made an effort dressing up—well actually Emilia insisted to do her makeup for the special occasion. She was very excited, though Ally specifically had told her it's just a big fat lie.

"It's a brilliant plan, I blackmailed my dad to take my mom on a date so she won't be at the hospital tonight. And bribed Emilia with cookies to watch your door from the other nurses," he explains to her proudly.

"You blackmail people a lot, don't you? That's really annoying."

Austin smirks, "That's my hidden talent thank you very much."

"Whatever," she rolls her eyes. "Where are your friends anyway?"

Then they spot a couple holding hands slowly approaching the two of them. Ally remembers the Latina girl and the ginger haired boy she met last week. But she doesn't have any idea that they were a couple and it startles her a bit. Though she thinks they look oddly cute together.

"Hi Ally!" The girl surprises her when she throws her an unexpected hug. "It's nice to finally see you again."

Ally has no choice to hug back and pats her back awkwardly. It doesn't happen to her regularly. She's one of those girls, who never had a lot of friends who were girls. Although she would count Emilia as one. "You too... uh it's Trish right?"

Trish nods as she pulls away, "Yeah and this is Dez my boyfriend."

"Hello!" Dez greets her cheerly and shakes her hand firmly. "It's nice to finally meet the girl that always keeps our friend busy after school for the second time. He hadn't hung out with us all week because of you."

"Yeah and he talked about you a lot!" Trish adds, smiling at the sight of Austin and Ally.

Ally shoots Austin a glare and looks back at them, "Nice to see you again Dez."

"Okay, so we're going to Miami Pier they are having a carnival there. We should go check it out," Trish says as she starts dragging her boyfriend to lead the way to the beach.

Austin sneaks up beside Ally and whispers, "I may or may not have told them I've been hanging out with you after school so I didn't have to go with them and watch them make out every second. Sorry about that."

They start following the couple in front of them, "It's fine. You could have given me a little head's up before hand, so I don't get totally caught off guard."

"Don't worry, you're doing great," he says, smiling down at her. He doesn't know if it's just his eyes seeing stuff or did Ally really just smile back at him. And not in the sarcastic way at all. A genuine smile. It kind of flutters his stomach.

"So you talked about me to your friends?" she asks out of the blue, easing the uncomfortable silence that is slowly forming.

"Uh," he scratches his back timidly. "Meh, occasionally."

"Oh really? About what?" she asks and looks up at him. "You didn't tell them I'm a patient at Sea Pines, did you?"

"No of course not!" He quickly answers. "I didn't even tell them I work there."

"Why? Are you embarrassed telling people you take care of crazy people?" she wheedles.

He shakes his head, "No, I actually like being there. I love all the people in there. It's just you have to know Trish and Dez, they're easily amused and if they find out I work there they'd want to tag along every day and don't get me wrong I love them, but they could be annoying."

"They seem pretty nice to me."

"Wait until you spend thirteen years with them, you'd regret for ever saying that."

"You guys have been friends for that long?" she asks.

"Yeah."

"Must have been nice." She looks at Trish and Dez giggling in front of her, busy with each other company. Before they even realize it, they had reached their destination.

. . .

The carnival brings out the inner child of everybody. It is an amazing place to be, a little bit congested and a lot of people are sweating, even though it is one of those cool days in Miami. Ally could inhale the smell of freshly made cotton candy in the air mixing with the pungent smell of the ocean. She has never been a big fan of the beach to be honest but tonight it's a different story.

She watches Austin and Dez compete with each other, trying to see who could knock down the bottles in the pyramid at most. Dez successfully knocked down five of the bottles and own a freakishly small teddy bear. Trish thought he was going to give the bear to her as a romantic gesture, but he wasn't and she was furious about it. She called him an unromantic knucklehead. They fought for a while and Trish refused to talk to him.

"Dude, just give her the bear," Austin groans at the redhead, a grumpy Trish is not fun to hang out with. It's worse than an old lady in her period.

"But..." Dez sighs. "Fine you can have Mr. Germane."

"Yay!" Trish squeals and hugs her boyfriend.

"What can I say, I'm a nice boyfriend.."

Ally laughs at the both of them, and then they are now running toward the next game eagerly. They are so childish, but she guess it's better than being forced to act mature and proper all the time.

Austin catches her spacing out and nudges her shoulder, "Are you alright? Do you want to go back to the hospital or something?"

"Oh God no, I'm having a good time actually," she says honestly.

"Good! Here," he hands her a hello kitty keychain, "I tried to win you a frog at that game when you have to knock down the hats of the moving mannequins but I knocked down just one."

"Thanks," she says. "And don't worry, mostly the hats are glued to the mannequins."

"Wait what?"

"My cousin used to work at a carnival once when he was a teenager, he told me all the tricks," she says. "That's why we rarely see people win the giant prizes, like that super-sized Panda." She points at the panda which is being displayed as the grand prize of the carnival.

"Whoa," he says, amazed. "I didn't know that."

Ally shrugs, "That's just how people make money I guess."

Trish comes running toward them holding the teddy bear in her hand. She tells them, Dez is buying some food for them and asks Austin to help him out.

"Any request Ally?" he asks, looking at Ally.

"Anything would be good."

As soon as Austin vanishes, the girls quickly look for an empty table to sit down and wait for the boys.

"So are you having fun?" Trish begins, putting away the teddy bear into her purse.

"I am," Ally says. It is the most fun she ever had for a while.

Trish looks at her and says, "Where do you go to school? We go to Marino High School right across the mall, great school horrible people and food. You should transfer to our school, I could use a girl friend to get through the rest of my junior and senior years!" she complains. "What grade are you in?"

"I'm a sophomore at Kendrick Private Academy."

"Academy? So like everybody wears uniform?"

Ally nods. "Unfortunately."

Trish grimaces, "That sounds terrible. Kendrick Private Academy, never heard that one before."

"Maybe that's why they call it private," she jokes.

Trish laughs. She likes this one, though she still has to do a double check on her, now that she has a little information on her, to see if she is qualified to be dating her best friend. Just to prevent the whole Brooke's incident to ever happen again.

"Food's here!" Dez yells out loud as they approach the ladies.

"I hope you like hot dogs, because they're out of anything else," Austin puts down a plate of hot dog in front of Ally and a tall cup of coke.

"Austin!"

The four friends turn their heads in the direction of the voice in unison.

"Bitch's alert," Trish mumbles. Seriously? Out of all of the places in Miami, she has to be here tonight. "Oh look she's not alone, surprise surprise."

Brooke walks toward their table with a tall black haired guy. He is quite attractive with a pair of hypnotizing blue eyes but his face is not familiar to any of them. But it wouldn't be a surprise. Rumor has it, she doesn't only screw around high schools.

Ally furrows her eyebrows in confusion and turns to Austin, "Who is she?"

But Austin is too busy looking at the couple who are slowly approaching them. He could still sniff the strong vanilla scent—her bewitching smell—even though they are a few yards away. Even at night he could see her long caramel hair, glowing and bouncing in the air as she walks her way toward them. It drives him crazy.

"She's the evil ex," Dez tells Ally.

"Ohhh," she says, finally understands why her fake date acting like a lovesick puppy.

The girl's walk is appalling, she looks like a pageant queen with her hips swinging from side to side. It is displeasing to the eyes. The guy has his hand on her lower hip, based on that action there is no way those two are just friends. But she slaps his hand away as they reach their table.

"Mind if we join you?" Brooke asks, her eyes gaze into Austin's ignoring the other people presences at the table.

Ally rolls her eyes, it's such a dread to witness the desperation in her face and voice. Austin is clearly still under her spell. She looks at Trish and Dez, their face is pulling the same expression. They are waiting for Austin to say something or better kick her sorry ass.

"I do mind actually. Table's full there's no space for you." Ally snaps at her out of nowhere, gesturing them to stay the hell away from their table with her hands.

Trish looks at Ally, shocked. She doesn't think she has that confidence in her. She smirks waiting for Brooke to disappear.

Brooke breaks her gaze from Austin to look at the brave brunette, "I'm sorry, who are you?"

"Ally Dawson, I'm Austin's girlfriend," she explains.

"Oh so this is the infamous girlfriend, what a shame she's such a step down," Brooke remarks and smiles innocently.

Ally blinks at her stupid comment, then she looks at Austin, hoping he would say something to defend her. But his lips aren't even close to moving let alone spring out a word.

Instead Trish speaks up, "Okay Brooke, if you want the table you can have it. We're leaving anyway, come on guys!"

Dez literally has to drag Austin from the table, somewhere along the way he whispers to him, "That was not cool buddy."

. . .

The walk back to the hospital are dark and awkward. None of them has spoken a word at all since they said goodbye to Trish and Dez when they parted in front of Coffee-Tea-Ria. And he insisted to walk her, just to make sure she will return safely to the hospital.

Miami isn't really the safest city on earth, especially at night.

Ally walks pretty quickly in her sneakers, he wonders how could she keep them when they're not allowing any shoe with laces. Emilia must have snuck them in for her.

When they reach a few feet away from the hospital's gate, she turns to face him, she is simply going to say good night, but he beats her by saying, "Look, I'm sorry about earlier. I should have said something. It's just Brooke still—"

"It's whatever, I'm not really your girlfriend right?" she interrupts him. "Besides, you can tell Trish and Dez we broke up because of that, so we don't have to pretend this fake relationship we have anymore."

"Right," he agrees quietly. Though it pains him to say that. He is expecting to, maybe, go out one or two more fake dates with her, but he just had to screw it up. "Thanks for helping me tonight."

"No problems."

"Do you want me to distract the security guards while you sneak in?"

"No, you don't have to. It's bingo night, they won't see me," she says. She waves goodbye at him as she walks toward the gates and starts to climb it.

He feels a little dejected when she rejected his offer. But what can he do?

"Stupid," he mutters under his breath before dismissing himself from the location.

* * *

How was it? I really loved how this chapter turned out actually. Next chapter is coming soon and thanks for the feedback for the last chapter it really made me excited. THANK YOU!

AND HAPPY NEW YEAR :) *virtual hug for all of you!*

PS, review please please please with cherry on top?

~Liana


	6. A Deal Is Made

Holy freaking cow you people, 17 reviews, that's just ahh I love you! This is chapter six of **READY OR NOT.**

Enjoy!

* * *

The next day at lunch, Austin sits at his usual table with Trish and Dez. It is Wednesday, the only day when the three friends don't have any class together so this is the first time they have seen each other since the disastrous date yesterday.

Austin chews his bland hamburgers and cringes, "Every day I'm thinking maybe today the lunch ladies would serve something edible. But nope I'm always wrong!" He looks at his two best friends, waiting for a laugh or at least a crude response from Trish. Nothing.

"Okay what's going on you guys?"

Trish exhales and stops playing with her cold lasagna, "We did something last night."

"I don't need to hear the details of your sex lives," Austin says, covering his ears.

Trish blushes and hits him with an apple, "It's not that you idiot!"

"Actually Trish did something last night, I told her not to buddy I swear," Dez adds and gulps his chocolate milk.

Trish sends him a death glare, "Thanks Dez for throwing me under the bus, you're the boyfriend of the year!"

"Okay what is it? You guys are starting to scare me a little bit."

Trish looks at Austin, "Promise me you won't be mad at me."

Then it clicks him. She googled Ally last night. It's her classic move, she does it every single time. Every time Austin or Dez—but since now they're dating, Austin's the main target—is interested in someone. Trish would google search the girl until the last bit of information she could find. She claims, it is a kind act of sisterly love.

"No, you didn't!"

She grins, "Oh yes I did! You won't believe what I found out about Ally Dawson. Are you ready?"

Austin groans, "Why do you keep doing this Trish? Besides, it won't matter anymore, she broke up with me because I didn't defend her last night."

"WHAT?" Trish screams in shock, her scream turns a few heads to their table. "You guys lasted for a week only?"

"Nice man, I was starting to like her," Dez says.

Austin shrugs like he doesn't care and takes a bit of his burger.

Trish shakes her head, "But anyway, you guys still might want to hear what I found out about her. Okay so I googled her school, Kendrick Private Academy, guess what? It's located in Indian Creek—you know that fancy neighborhood in the South side—and apparently it's for rich people and celebrity's kids who could pay a shitload of money because let me tell you the tuition is ridiculously expensive. Though I might add their uniform is kind of cute but that's about it. Don't get me started with the clubs, I think they might have everything from Mandarin to Arabian, debate club, acapella groups, music, sports, and so on. So I immediately thought, your girlfriend—"

"Not my girlfriend anymore," Austin cuts her off.

"Whatever. So she must be rich right? And I googled her name plus her school because let's face it there are a lot of people in this world with her name. And I came across a picture of her entire family with—get ready—Bruno Mars! Turned out Ally is the daughter of Lester and Penelope Dawson!" Trish stops waiting for their reaction.

"Okay?" Austin says confused.

She rolls her eyes, when they look clueless. "Her father is the owner of Sonic Boom Record plus the music store in the mall that we often walk pass by? He owns that and twenty one other stores all across America, he basically is like the American version Simon Cowell. And Penelope Dawson owns like countless of art galleries all over Miami, she also turned down a spot in The Real Housewives of Miami because she doesn't want to risk any scandal of her family to be leaked out. That's why we almost don't know about them, because her parents are so private about their family life!" Trish finishes and quickly grabs a bottle of water in front of her and chucks them all. "I can't believe you dated the daughter of one of the richest men in Miami!"

Austin sits there amazed that Trish could gather all of this information in one night. And he would never guess that Ally is a daughter of someone who runs a record label and owns music stores. She told him she doesn't even like music.

"Aside from that, I couldn't find anything negative things about her so I approve," Trish says breezily. "Too bad she broke up with you, she seems cool. It'd be nice to hang with someone like her for a chance."

_Then why is she in a psychiatric hospital? _Austin thought.

"I can't believe you didn't know all of this? Don't you like hang out with her all week?" Dez asks suspiciously.

"Yeah!" Trish agrees. "What did you guys do when you hung out?"

"Hmm.." Austin thinks, he needs to come up with another lie. "We don't talk about our family or friends or even school. We just mostly talked about ourselves, you know?"

"Why don't you try to apologize to her and ask for another chance man? Dr. Dez really saw sparks between the two of you!" Dez says enthusiastically.

"I can't, she just got ten times more complicated," Austin says ambiguously. Trish and Dez look at each other, wondering what their best friend meant by that.

. . .

There is a knock on the door.

Ally hesitates to allow the person in. Because the last time she let a person behind the other side of the door in, it turned out to be Austin. After last night, she isn't really in the best mood to see his face. Then she remembers there's no way it could be him, it's not three-thirty yet. He's probably still in school.

Before she could yell, the door swings open, revealing Mimi in her usual white coat. "Hey sweetheart."

She sits up on the bed and puts her purple jacket on, "What's up Dr. M?"

The doctor sits next to her bed on the bed and lays her documents on the nightstand. "Nothing. What's up with you? I haven't seen you outside lately. Do you catch a cold or something, sweetie?" she feels her forehead and neck.

"No," she confesses. "Just don't feel like going outside." _When your son is taking over the entire living room._

"Why?" Mimi asks, concerned.

"It feels different."

"Because of Austin? Is he bothering you?"

"If he is bothering me, I wouldn't say it in front of his mother, would I?" she giggles and Mimi mimics her action. Though Austin's one of the reason she rarely goes out of her room. She can't let her know that, it would only lead her to a bunch of questions. "It's not because of him."

"Then what is it?"

"I guess, I'm nervous about going home," she admits.

"I thought you'd be excited about coming home?"

"I am. I miss my bed," Ally says half-serious. "But back home everything will be claustrophobic and stuff. I like this room it's calming and I want to feel calm as much as possible you know," she says.

Mimi nods, "I understand. Just remember what I told you Allyson, you control the situation not the other way around and when you feel like it's too much already you can stop and take a breath. And if you have no one to talk to you can always talk to me," she lifts up the sleeve of Ally's jacket, pointing at her scars. "And this won't help at all. Just call me I don't care whether you're still a member of this hospital or not."

Ally couldn't help but thinking Austin is the luckiest kid in the world to have a really loving mother. She looks up at her doctor and hugs her slowly and says, "Thank you."

Mimi hugs her back, "You are very welcome honey. But many people have complained about your absence during the activity. Don't want to give out any name, but Mr. Fodder misses his chess partner, he said and I quote, 'I miss Ally, she's a tough competition and Paxton is a sore loser!'"

Ally laughs.

"I mean it Allyson, you'll be out of this place in a few days and they might never see you again. Why don't you enjoy your last days here and make it more memorable and special. Write it on your book, it'd help you to get through the days." Mimi advices and squeezes her shoulder lovingly.

"I'll try."

"That's my girl!"

. . .

Austin looks at his watch one more time and it says four o'clock sharp, he is late for thirty minutes. He knows he is late, but Emilia just has to remind him that he is late as she demands the cookies that he promised her yesterday.

"I got late because of that," Austin tells him. "They were sold out and I had to wait for another batch to be made."

"Once you made a deal, you have to fulfill it kiddo!" Emilia warns and takes the bag of cookies from his hand.

Austin rolls his eyes and turns around to the living room. He freezes when he catches a certain brunette sitting casually on the sofa facing the old Fodder to play a game of chess. He closes his eyes and reopens it again to see if it was really. And it is. "Pinch me, did I just see Ally out in the living room after medicine time?"

Emilia pinches him and he screams in a high pitch. "I didn't know, you could scream like a girl! Yeah that's Ally, she's been there for hours playing chess with Mr. Fodder."

He still has his attention to Ally. She is laughing along with Mr. Fodder, he thinks it's the first time he ever heard her laugh and it makes him smile.

"So how was the date last night?" Emilia teases.

Austin looks at her, "You know it wasn't a real date, right?"

_"Do you know it wasn't a real date?"_ she asks back teasingly.

He doesn't exactly know what she meant, but he doesn't waste his time to argue with her. "Whatever, I have to entertain these folks!" he says and starts walking into the living room.

"Invite me to the wedding!" She yells from behind the counter.

Austin laughs and shakes his head.

As soon as he arrives in the living room, he spots Ally's still playing the chess game with the old man. Although age has blanched his hair, Mr. Fodder is still vigorous and energetic when it comes playing a chess game. He doesn't like Austin very much, he thought, Austin's arrival made Ally lock herself in her tiny room and prevents them to play chess together for a whole week. And the other reason is Austin never lets him pick a song for the daily jam session.

When the patients see Austin's presence they cheer and quickly made a big circle as usual. Austin catches Ally's standing up from her seat after her friendly chess game with Mr. Fodder, he thought she is finally going to join him with the other but instead she moves her feet to the receptionist's counter.

"Hey you're not going to join us?" Austin calls out, from the middle of the circle.

Ally turns around, "Not today."

Another rejection. Ouch, it cuts like a knife.

. . .

Ally is sitting next to Abraham, who quietly stares at the ground. Abraham—Abe for short, has been sitting on one of those waiting benches since the morning. He won't move until the sun begins setting and the nurse directs him back to his room to bed. He is one of the serious patients, a patient who actually has a severe disorder.

She's there because she needs to feel someone beside her. Just there, hush hush, no sound but yet you could feel their presence. She often wonders what Abe is thinking, or is he even thinking at all?

"So you're blowing me off to hang out with Abe?" A soothing and familiar voice wakes her up from her thought. He takes a seat next to the left side of the bench, sandwiching Abe between him and Ally. "It's nice to see out there today."

"Yeah," she replies.

Then they stay silent for a second or so. But it doesn't last long.

"Hey Ally," he begins, feeling a little diffident and conflicted about what he is going to ask her. "Are you trying to avoid me or something? Because you're never outside when I'm here."

"A little bit," she says bluntly.

Double ouch for Austin. That wasn't really what he was expecting to hear. He expected to hear, _no I wasn't trying to avoid you_ or shits that normal people would say to protect his pathetic feelings. But then again, Ally's not one of those normal people: she's his mystery.

"Why is that?"

"Why are you asking so many questions?"

"Because it's involving me and I thought we were friends."

She scoffs, "What gives you that idea?"

"You helped me with the whole dating thing, I thought you found me at least... tolerable?"

"You blackmailed me remember? I didn't exactly have a choice."

"So we're not friends?" he asks.

"We aren't."

"Why?"

"Erg!" She screams in frustration. "Stop asking me questions."

"I just wanted to know why, that's it. I've been nothing but nice to you since the beginning, you're the one who were..." he thinks of a word. "Moody. Yeah, you're so moody, one day you're okay and smiling and stuff and suddenly you're all grumpy and yelling, like right now."

"If you want to be my friend, you have to get used to my moodiness," she folds her arm as she leans on the back of the chair.

"So you do consider me as your friend?"

"Stop saying that word!"

"What word?" he asks, confused.

She quotes, "Friend!"

"What do you want me to say? Pal? Buddy? Mate?" He offers.

"Just don't talk at all!" She yells and her head starts to get a little dizzy. She isn't supposed to yell at all. But he just has to frustrate her. "I knew going outside is a bad idea," she murmurs.

He hears her, "Then why did you go outside?"

"Because of doctor's order okay? I have to make my last days here memorable and special because I might not see this place again after I'm gone. And I don't even know how to do that, I mean how do you make a mental hospital memorable—"

Suddenly a crazy thought pops out of his head, "What about a trade?"

Her eyebrows furrow in confusion, "A trade?"

"Yeah, I'll help you make your last days memorable and special if you let me be your friend or pal or whatever you want to call it," he smirks.

She thinks about it for a second. She doesn't know what to say, but her heart aching to say yes because though her mind is pulling no as the dominant answer. And he seems so sincere about the offer, she can feel it in his voice. She has to admit she has been hard on him all week and being a friend doesn't mean she has to trust him right?

She closes her eyes, before saying, "Deal, just don't take it too over the top."

"I won't," he smiles from ear to ear, trying to maintain himself from jumping upside down. Just one step closer to unload the mystery. "I really want to shake your hand to seal the deal but it's kinda hard when a sixty year-old sitting in between."

And they laugh.

She steals a quick glance at him and thinks maybe this isn't a bad idea at all. This could turn out good. But then again she has to set some boundaries.

Too many hopes, too many disappointments.

* * *

So how was that? I hope you like it though and thanks for the awesome feedback on the last chapter and keep reviewing it makes me happy!

Review please?

~Liana


	7. The Deal Is Broken

Chapter seven 7

**READY OR NOT**

Enjoy!

* * *

"Step one to a great friendship," Austin says as they are walking to the living room together from her room. He couldn't stop thinking about the deal they made. It was all he thought about when he went home yesterday and he was beyond excited to go to work today. "We need to get to know each other."

Ally looks at him, "What do you mean? I already know you and you already know me."

"Yeah, I know your name, you're a patient here and..." he pauses, thinking one more thing that he knows about her. "Actually that's it, I don't know anything about you."

"Point taken," she says. "What do you want to know?"

The odds are in his favor today. "If you want me to make your days here memorable, I have to know the general stuff. Like, your favorite color, food, hobby or stuff."

"Purple, pickles, and reading. Next?" she answers.

He squints thinking of a new question, "Why don't you like music? You literally are the only person that I have ever encountered who doesn't like music."

She stays quiet for a while, processing and debating about what she is about to say. "I..uh, I used to love music actually. People who think they could own music or use music as an excuse music to make money or fame, that irritates me and they made me learn to see music in an ugly way. I know I'm probably not making sense at all but you have to live in my world to understand," _Boundaries Ally, boundaries. You talked too much. _The voice inside her head speaks up. She needs to stop talking before saying something that she will regret.

Austin can't help but thinking, could she be talking about her dad? With the information that Trish had provided him yesterday it isn't impossible. He wants to ask her about her family, the question is on the tip of his tongue. But she just agreed to become his friend, he's not going to screw it up again. "But that's not the music's fault."

"Yeah, but it's hard not to see it that way anymore," she says as they reach the living room. Where people are already sitting in a circle waiting for Austin to join them. "Now go, they are waiting for you."

He bites his lips before saying, "I'm going to make you love music again."

"Oh yeah I really doubt that," she retorts.

"Just stay for one song, watch me serenade your way back to music."

"I've got to see Emilia."

"She can wait, one song and if you still can't stand it you can leave in the middle of the song. I won't mind," he pleads.

She sighs, "Okay fine, one song."

"Yay!" He runs to the center of the circle and the crowd cheer. "Sorry to keep you waiting guys, but today we're going to do something different. Don't worry I'll let you pick a song as usual but after I dedicate one song to my new friend Ally," he says, smiling in her direction. All the people start to follow his action and look at Ally. She has her hands folded under her chest and thinks this will be a waste of time.

Paxton nudges Tony's arm, "Psst, told ya he took control!"

Tony rolls his eyes at him and continues watching the teenager at the center of the circle.

Austin starts to strum his guitar and the patients close their eyes as they allow his melodious voice goes into their ear. _"__I wait on you forever, any day, hand and foot. Your world is my world, yeah__. Ain't no way you ever gonna __get. __Any__ less than you should.__'Cause baby, you smile, I smile, __oh__'Cause__ whenever you smile, I smile!"_

He looks at her for a second before looking back at the other patients. _"...if you need me I'll come running from a thousand miles away, cause baby you smile I smile!"_

She doesn't know if it's the veggie wrap she had for lunch but her stomach is feeling funny. Like someone just put their hand inside of it and twist it around, but it's a warm and fuzzy feeling. Then suddenly she feels her cheeks redden as the song goes on. She catches herself stumping her foot against the floor with every strum of his guitar.

_"You smile I smile.." _he finishes the song and instantly his eyes search for Ally. She is still there. She stayed for the whole song and she smiles.

"I told you, you'll love it!" He mouthed the words to her.

She rolls her eyes at him, before leaving the living room.

When the patients applaud it tears his gaze from her and put his attention back to them. "So who has a song?"

. . .

Austin finds Ally sitting on the bench with Abe. The difference between yesterday and today is she has her brown book with her sitting perfectly on her laps. She looks down and writes in it. While Abe is playing with his hands silently.

Ally looks up when she sees his shoes, "Oh if it isn't Justin Bieber."

"You don't like Bieber? I thought every girl are turned on by him."

"He's okay I guess. I'm just kind of shocked because you know his song," she shrugs.

"Give me your hand," he orders.

"Why?" she asks confused.

"I don't think Abe wants us here, we've tortured him enough yesterday. I think he wants his space back," he says. "And I'm trying to make your day memorable remember?"

She looks at him with her eyebrows inch closer, "Where are you taking me?"

"It's a surprise."

"I hate surprises," she says.

"Great, I know a lot about you now! You like purple, pickles and you hate surprises," he beams. "But seriously you will love this one," he offers his hand one more time.

She reaches her hand hesitantly, "Am I going to regret this?"

He doesn't waste time to answer her. Instead he grabs her soft hand and they run to wherever he is going to take her, ignoring the nurses and staff who yells _no running in the hallway_ and stuff. They run up to the stairs.

"Austin seriously where are we going in?" she asks breathlessly as she sees that they are headed to the third floor. "We aren't supposed to be on this floor!"

He rolls his eyes, "Like you follow all the rules."

She giggles and follows him.

"So I found this place, because I'm naturally curious and I couldn't work in a place where I don't know the place by heart. So yeah, I found it!" He says excitedly. He opens the door and he hears her gasps.

"It's the roof.." she says, as the wind blows her hair when he opened the door. It is beautiful and she can see the beach from all the way up here. She can see children playing and making sand castles while the birds are flying above the water. It's sunset time, so the sky is orange like a beautiful fire.

"So you're now outside without actually sneaking out," he says.

She nods, still looking at the beautiful scenery. "It's beautiful."

"I know," he looks at her, then he clears his throat. "I brought you here to finish what we do earlier."

"What?"

"Getting to know you better," he says. "So—"

"Wait, don't I get to ask you some questions too?"

"My favorite color is yellow and my favorite food is pancakes, what else do you want to know?" he inquires.

"I'm not going to coddle you. I'm going to ask you something real," she decides.

"Okay, shoot."

She thinks for a second and then, "Are you still in love with your ex?"

For a second, he is quiet, and she is sure she had overstepped. But then he says, "It's a mixed feelings really. I'm still furious with what she has done to me but at the same time I don't blame her to do what she did."

"Why?" she asks.

"Brooke and I.. had been dating for a year. Maybe she got tired of me or something," he answers truthfully.

She rolls her eyes. If Brooke got tired of Austin why not break up with him first then find the other guys. She is still a bitch in her eyes. "Seems like she wants to get back together with you though."

"What made you think that?"

"Just the way she batted her eyes at you at the carnival, you'd know that if you weren't completely under her spell," she explains.

He smiles at that, it's sort of nice... to hear Brooke wants to get back together with him. It gives him hope. But now he isn't sure if he wants to get back together with her, he did at first but now.. the answer is still blank.

"So what about you? Any boy waiting back home?"

A guy with a lustrous brown hair and a pair of kind green eyes appear in her mind, kissing the back of her neck with his strong arms wrapped around her tiny waist. She closes her eyes and quickly shakes her head eliminating the image. "No!" She answers aggressively and hugs herself when the strong wind hit her. "Can we move on to the next question please?"

He takes that she doesn't want to talk about it. "Okay, so why don't you tell me how long have you been in here?"

"Almost a month," she says.

"Wow a month.. Why are they keeping you so long?"

"I believe I am the one who's asking the question now," she says, really just want to escape from his question.

Before he could protest to her, he feels his phone vibrates in his pocket. He pulls it out and looks who's calling him. When he sees the ID he just rolls his eyes and touches decline then shoves it back into his jeans.

"Why didn't you get it?"

"It's just Trish and Dez, they're checking on me to see if I already get back with Brooke or not. They don't like her," he says.

_Can't blame them._ Ally thought. "You're lucky to have them you know. They care about you a lot."

"And totally overprotective!"

She laughs, "No they're not, they just want you to be happy."

"Like googling the girls I'm dating every single time isn't overprotective?" He says. But then he quickly regrets it when he realizes what he just said. Ally isn't supposed to know that. And here comes a bunch of questions that he can't answer.

"What?"

"Nothing," he scratches the back of his neck.

"Did she google me too?"

Austin stays in silent and Ally takes that as a yes.

"What did she find out about me?" she asks, but Austin won't answer. "Austin?"

He sighs, "Just stuff about your parents, that's it! I swear I don't know anything more." He looks at her, who is looking at the beach silently. "Why didn't you tell me about your parents?"

She turns to him, "Because it's none of your damn business! Besides, who gave you the right to google people like that?"

"Why are you blaming this on me?" he yells back at her. "It's just some stupid stuff that Trish found out, it doesn't matter or change anything. So what if I know who your parents are? It doesn't change the way I feel about you!"

They look at each other silently. Eyes to eyes. He tries to take her hand, but she quickly folds them under her chest before he even gets the chance. "I'm going back to my room, don't follow me. You can forget about our deal, it's clearly not working anyway." With that she turns her heels and leaves him alone on the roof. Even when her parents aren't with her, they are still causing trouble in her life.

Austin stares at her as she walks, what is wrong with her? He's trying to be nice to her and that's not working it only backfired on him. He's done trying. Fuck the mystery, he's done with Ally Dawson.

* * *

So what do you think? Sorry to bust your Auslly bubble. I know you want to know why Ally is in the hospital, I promise you'll find out next chapter! And once again thanks for the feedback on the last chapter :)

~Liana


	8. Four Four Four

Chapter Eight of **READY OR NOT.**

Enjoy!

* * *

Four days.

Four freaking days.

They haven't talked to each other in four days. Ally has been pulling the old routine, not going outside if Austin is out there. Austin doesn't care that much too, though the pain is still visible and some patients may have complained his melancholy song choices at the daily jam session.

It worries Mimi Moon, as the head doctor and as a mother. So when she and her family get down for a family dinner at The Salvatore, she has to ask, "Honey are you feeling okay?"

Austin stops chewing his pasta and gulps before answering, "I'm fine, why?"

"You've been such a downer lately," she says. "I'm sure I'm not the only one who notices that. Did you notice it as well Mike?"

Mike nods, "I sure did. You didn't finish your pancakes this morning, which is quite odd."

"Yeah," Mimi agrees. "And Tony has reported that you have been playing depressing songs lately."

_Not cool Tony._ He thought. "I'm just a little tired I guess."

"Do you want a day off for tomorrow? I think you might need one, hun." She offers.

"Okay," he says and puts his attention back to the food.

Mike and Mimi look at each other. Mimi sighs and Mike just shrugs. So they just decide to change the topic.

"So," Mike begins, "How's work, hun?"

"It's good, just the same old stuff—oh yeah Mike, thank you for reminding me, we need to go to a supermarket on the way home. I have to pick up some party decoration," she says.

Austin's eyebrows inch closer, "What for? Am I forgetting someone's birthday?"

"No, it's for Ally's farewell party. You know Ally right?"

_Ally's farewell party?_ Why didn't somebody tell him that they're making a farewell party for Ally. He deserves to know that right?

"Sort of," he mumbles. "When is she leaving?"

"In two days," Mimi says, sipping her soup. "You are very welcomed to come to the party tomorrow hun."

Why didn't she tell him she was leaving so soon?

"No thanks, I'm staying home tomorrow," he says.

He's done with whatever they have.

. . .

"I can't believe you're really going," Emilia says as she folds some of Ally's shirts. "I'm really going to miss you Als."

Ally smiles at her as she empties her drawer, she is seriously going to miss this place. It has been her home for the past month. Everyone in here has sort of become her family, she'll miss playing chess with Mr. Fodder, listening Tony talks about his three beloved children or she even will miss Paxton's stupid pranks that used to annoy her so much.

"I know, I'll miss you too," she says sincerely.

For a second there silence, just the sound of them packing Ally's stuff.

"Have you talked to Austin yet?" Emilia questions.

Austin... Yeah she's definitely going to miss him. Maybe more than the others. Too bad they have such a bitter end. She feels bad really, she knows she is being biased about the whole thing. She wants to apologize to him and explain all of the things that she knows that he has been dying to know. Her heart wants it so badly, to open up and trust him. But part of her brain won't let it happen. So she just stayed in her room when he was here and secretly hoping he'd burst into her room like the day he asked her to be his fake date. It's selfish of her.

She clears her throat, "No, I haven't even talked to him actually. I'm not even sure he knows I'm leaving in two days."

"Don't you want him to know? I thought you guys were friends?" Emilia asks concernedly.

She laughs dryly, "We're not friends. I told you, remember?"

Emilia nods, remembering the day when Ally came down from the stairs with a frown on her face and not long after Austin came down and demanded his car keys to the receptionist then stormed off the place. She knew there was something wrong so she knocked Ally's door and she explained everything.

"Are you really going to end things in a sour note?"

She shrugs, "Why do you care, it's not like we'll see each other anymore."

Emilia puts her hands in the air, "Hey, I'm just saying you should talk to him."

"Well he doesn't want to talk to me, why should I talk to him?"

"Maybe that's the problem, you want him to approach to you first and he wants you to approach to him first. Let me tell you something, there's nothing wrong to say_ I was wrong,_ it just means you're the bigger person," Emilia tells her and smiles.

"Can we just stop talking about him? It's giving me a headache," she mumbles.

Emilia sighs, "I understand."

. . .

Four a.m.

Austin is just carelessly laying on his bed. He can't sleep and it's stupid Ally's fault. Everything is her fault, why does she have to enter his life and destroy it. He feels like in these last few days he has been on a never ending roller coaster ride with her moodiness and her stupid beautiful hair that he never gets to touch. Or her stupid luring chocolate eyes that he couldn't help but notice they light up whenever she smiles. Or her stupid smile that makes his stomach flutters whenever he sees it. Or even her stupid purple jacket that she wore every day makes him crazy beyond his mind!

He closes his eyes and tries to fall asleep. And he fails for the last hundredth time, he sits up on his bed and looks around his room. Then he sees his purple guitar hanging on the back of his door and it makes him think of Ally again.

Ally. Allyson. Ally. Al-ly.

Is he just going to let her get away without even saying goodbye?

"No.."

His hazel eyes fall on his car keys which is resting peacefully on his nightstand. He grabs it and get out of bed. He puts on the first pants and a shirt that he could find near him and climbs down his bedroom window quietly so he won't wake his parents up.

He parks his car a few yards away from the hospital, he climbs down the gate silently and boy Ally is right the security guards in this hospital are the worst. He quickly runs to her windows. 109. Man, that's just too far.

When he reaches his destination, he knocks on the window.

This is so cliche. He thought.

Ally's eyes shoot up when she hears the knock. She goes out of her bed and sees Austin's face in the window. She gasps and opens the window quickly, "What are you doing here?"

He collects his breath before answering, "I need you to come with me."

He looks at her eyes and that is enough for her to agree and says, "Okay.."

. . .

There are only two employees and two customers in Coffee-Tea-Ria in three in the morning. The coffee shop opens for twenty-four hours and it's the only place that pops out in his brain when he asks her to go with him. They are sitting face to face with each other, Ally has her big mug of coffee diluted with milk in her hands. While Austin order a hot chocolate.

Her stomach growls, loud enough for Austin to hear. "Are you sure you wouldn't like something to eat? I bet they have cakes or something."

She gulps his coffee down. "I'm fine, thank you."

"Were you sleeping when I came?" he asks.

"It's four-thirty a.m., what do you think?" she says half-serious.

Then the usual awkward silence walks past by them.

She closes her eyes, ready to break the silence for the first time. "I'm sorry."

He looks at her.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you that afternoon, I was just mad for no reason. You have every right to stay away from me," she sighs and looks down at her half empty cup of coffee.

"Yeah I do. I told myself I was done with you that day, like I didn't want anything to do with you again. Because I tried so hard to get to you and you just won't let me."

She wraps her arms around herself and her foot taps against the wooden floor, "Then why are you dragging me here?"

"Because.." he begins, "you can't be done with someone who you've never started anything with."

She is terrified to move, breathe, say anything at this moment. She knows what he means, yet she doesn't.

"And I don't want to remember us fighting as our last memory," he adds.

"What do you want to remember us by?" she asks, her voice is cracking.

He shakes his head, "I don't have an answer for that."

"Me too."

He rests his arms crossed on the small round table and stays silent waiting for another word coming out of her mouth.

"Hey do you wanna go somewhere?"

His eyebrows inch closer, "Where?"

"Somewhere nobody we know would find us," she says as she stands up and offers her right hand.

He takes her hands hesitantly, "Are you planning to kidnap me?"

"No, you're the one who kidnaped me first remember?" she says and grips her hand with him tighter. She drags him out of the coffee shop and walks with their hands clutching to each other. Her hand goes limp, but he clings to it, not allowing her escape.

She leads him to the outdoor mall which is only a couple blocks away from the coffee shop. She stands straight and looks at him smiling.

Reluctantly, he lets go of her hands, "Why are we standing in front of Sonic Boom?"

"Cause we're going in there?"

"We're going to break into the store?"

"I wouldn't call it breaking in, if my dad is the owner," she explains. Right, he forgot Ally's dad is a multimillionaire. Austin had entered the music store once in his life when he was little and often walked pass it whenever Trish, Dez, and him hang out in the mall. But they never went in.

He feels a nudge on his arm, "Come on, my brother and I used to do it all the time!"

Ally unlocks the door and flips the switch on and drags him inside, "Welcome to Sonic Boom!"

His eyes wander around the big store admiring every instrument that are being displayed. Guitars, basses, drums, they are all beautiful and polished. This place is like a heaven to any musician. He notices Gibson Custom's ES-330 electric guitar, sitting perfectly on the display case. He has been wanting that guitar since last Christmas. He even made a presentation to his parents about how awesome that guitar is but it was pointless, they won't buy it for him because it's too expensive. He has to earn the money by himself.

"Go ahead touch it," she encourages him from behind.

"I can?" he looks at her smiling face.

She nods and signaling him to just pick it up.

He takes the guitar from the display case, "Wow, it's heavy!" His voice is so excited like a little child. He plays a few chords and then he stops when he sees Ally is watching him with a smile plastered on her face. "What?"

She runs her hand through her hair, before saying, "Nothing, you're just really good with guitar."

"Is that a compliment?" he teases as he puts the guitar back to the display case.

"I guess it is," she admits. "Don't get too excited!"

They laugh.

The laughter dies after a few seconds.

Ally bites her lower lip before saying, "I wanna show you something that I never showed anyone before." She slowly unzips her purple jacket.

"Ally what are you doing?" Austin warns her, as he sees her taking off her jacket revealing her white plain T-shirt. His eyes travel down to her pale arms, he could see the scars on her wrist. She signals him to get closer and he obeys, then she pulls up the hem of her shirt a little. "Is that a tattoo?" he whispers, pointing at a black feather on her hipbone.

She closes her eyes, "Yeah, it's for my brother. He passed away six months ago." She quickly pulls down the hem of her shirt, closing his view of her skin. "A car hit him and I was there to witness. And I couldn't save him, because it happened so fast... I couldn't move or breath," her voice started to crack. "And he was just eighteen, just got done with school. The ambulance came and took him away and I never saw him again. The saddest part was that night we were having his graduation dinner, my parents finally could ease their schedule, everybody was excited for him. I even wore a dress just for that special occasion and only God knows how much I hate dresses," she laughs dryly.

"Then Ander told my parents he was not going to college and that he wanted to travel, he was done with the luxury lifestyle.. He wanted to be free. My parents were out of rage, they started screaming at him about how ungrateful he was, how he disrespected them by not going to college and shits, I guess he couldn't take it so he ran out of the restaurant so I followed him.. I called his name then a car hit him and I lost him. I... lost Ander, I lost my older brother and the one person who I trusted the most." She doesn't realize that she has been crying while telling the story.

He can't bare seeing her like this. He grabs her hand and intertwines them with his fingers. "You don't have to tell me anymore."

But she shakes her head, "I want you to know, before I leave for tomorrow," she utters. " My parents ignored me and started working more often, thinking like nothing was wrong, they looked at me like I was the crazy one for mourning and crying. Then one day I came home from school, I saw Ander's stuff laying on the porch and I ran to his room my mom was there emptying his room and saying she wanted to donate his stuff to some fucking charity and turn his room into her art studio. I mean who does that? And then I lost it, I threw stuff at her and yelled her, I remember feeling like I wanted to strangle her to death..." she says, closing her eyes preventing the tears to fall down.

"My father came and took me to my room. That night, I couldn't bare the pain so I started to cut myself. I did it because the physical pain distracted me from the emotional pain, then it started becoming a routine until my stupid housekeeper caught me and reported it to my parents," she stutters. "The next morning at breakfast my father told me that they'd put me in Sea Pines and at that point I didn't care anymore, I just wanted to get away from them. Then they told my school, that I was visiting my relatives in London so I won't ruin their perfect reputation..."

Now he understands, why she is the way she is. He can't imagine losing Trish or Dez, that he has considered them as a part of his family. The thought of losing one of them aches his heart. She can't blame her for pushing everybody away and afraid to get attached to somebody. She's scared they would leave her in the end, like Ander did.

But Austin is not going to leave her. He will stick with her by her side from now on. He looks at the crying girl in front of him and pulls her into a gentle hug, like she is the most fragile thing in the world and lets her ret his shirt.

"I'm damaged.." he hears her whispering against his chest.

He lifts up her chin with his thumb to face her, then wipes her tears away on her cheeks with his fingers. "You're beautiful Ally."

She quickly pulls away from his warm embraces. "Please, don't say that," she begs. She grabs her purple jacket on the counter and puts them on in a swift movement. "We can't have this, I'm leaving tomorrow!"

"Have what?" he asks.

She points at him and then points herself, "This! We're not even friends, okay? We tried it once and it wasn't working so no. We can't try it again!"

He catches her hand and pulls her closer. He won't give up. "Maybe we're destined to be more than friends."

She can't say a word.

"Sorry was it too cheesy?" he asks.

She laughs, "Now that you mentioned it. It was a little bit cheesy."

He smiles when she continues laughing. It's great to hear her laugh after seeing her crying hopelessly.

"Hey Ally," he calls her, trying to get her attention.

She looks up at him, "Hmm?"

"I'm going to do something stupid," he says. Before she could question what he means by that, warm breath caresses her lips as he leans ever more closely, his nose brushing against hers. A tingle runs through her body as his lips grazing hers softly, yet playfully. She shuts her eyes in surprise, and quickly mimics his moves, exploring his lips with her own gently. She feels his hands traveling down to her waist, gripping her tightly. She doesn't know what to do, so she just puts her hands on his neck playing with his soft blonde locks.

There is no word in the dictionary to describe how she feels right now, she is over the moon as her knees start to weaken. She feels a little bit embarrassed because she is a little inexperienced on this department.

"This is what I want to remember us by," he says when they separate for air, their foreheads lean in against one another.

She smiles before closing the gap between them, hungry for the feeling that his lips provide her.

"Ally..." he pulls apart again and she groans. "As much as I enjoy this but it's almost six-thirty, we've got thirty minutes to go back to the hospital."

* * *

So there you have it folks, Auslly! I hope I didn't take it over the top, and I hope Ally's reason for being in the hospital made sense. So far this is the longest chapter in this story. But don't forget about the evil ex okay?

Remember to review, alert and favorite!

~Liana ;)


	9. Not So Pleasent Surprise

CHAPTER NINE OF READY OR NOT

Enjoy!

* * *

Emilia raised one of her eyebrows as she watches Ally sitting on the waiting bench with Abe. It isn't an unusual thing, she often sits there spending the rest of her afternoon writing in her book. But now she doesn't have her book with her, she is wearing her _best_ shirt and her hair is somewhat neater than usual, though she has two red eyes maybe because her lack of sleep.

Emilia studies her patient more rigorous from head to toe, her eyes are glued to the hospital entrance and her feet are thumping against the hard floor impatiently like she's expecting someone.

Emilia takes a peek at the living room, everybody is enjoying the pizza and music that Dr. Moon and some of the hospital staff has prepared this morning for Ally's farewell party. The party seems to be going great, only the honorary guest is missing, Ally. Her eyes are back at the brunette on the bench, she clears her throat before saying, "Hmm, the party is in the living room Als."

Ally looks at her and nods, "Yeah, uh I know. I just.. want to sit with Abe for a little while, I won't see him again after tomorrow."

Emilia smirks, she could clearly hear the lie behind her words and Ally's scarlet cheeks make it so obvious whom she is waiting for right now. "You know if you're looking for a guy about six-foot tall, blonde hair, and hazel eyes, he ain't coming sweetie."

That is a brand new information for Ally. But she's pretty sure after their private make up and lips actions this morning he will come today to the party. They couldn't even keep their hands and lips to each other on the way back to the hospital.

"Dr. Moon just told me, he's taking a break today. Apparently he's too tired and he needs some rest," Emilia shrugs and tries to focus her attention back to the clipboard in her hands. "You know, if you want him here I have his number and you can apologize and ask him to come here."

"I don't think that's necessary," she replies.

"Why not?"

"We made up," she announces, trying to hide her growing smile.

Emilia puts her clipboard away and gives her full attention to her. "Care to elaborate?"

"He knocked on my window around three am in the morning and we talked it out and we're good now, no big deal." she says as the memories of them in Sonic Boom playing vividly inside her head.

"That's it?" Emilia asks.

She nods. "That is it."

Emilia smirks again and nods her head teasingly," Okay okay, I'll believe you this time."

She laughs and the nurse joins, after a while the laughter dies. She starts to look down at her hand and smiling for no reason. Emilia sees it and couldn't help it to feel happy that she's happy and she looks alive.

"So are you excited for tomorrow?"

Ally looks at her nurse, "I am kinda excited, but I'm going to miss this place so much."

"You could always visit you know?"

"I know. But I don't think Lester and Penny wouldn't be fond of the idea their daughter is caught visiting a mental hospital," she sighs. Sometimes she wishes, she was born into a normal family who has a two-storey house instead of a mansion full of big empty rooms.

"So what about you and Austin then? You're not going to visit him?"

Ally freezes. She hasn't thought about it. She doesn't want to think about it. But Emilia is right, what about them? What will happen to them? "It hasn't even crossed my mind really."

"Well you better think fast because your mom picking you up at eight tomorrow morning."

She sighs, "Right."

A few seconds later, enter the boy with the blonde hair with a dashing smile.

Emilia notices the familiar red eyes on him and smiles to herself. "Well well well, if it isn't Romeo breaking rules to see his Juliette. Thought you weren't coming today?"

Austin looks at Ally and shoots her a smile, "Well yeah, something changed my mind."

Emilia shakes her head while smiling. These two couldn't be more than obvious that they have jumped the friendship barrier. She gathers all her documents and grips them tightly, "I'm going to Dr. M's office, you kids have fun." She stands up from her seat, and starts walking but she quickly turns around and says, "But not too much fun!"

Austin scratches the back of his neck, "That was awkward."

"Yup," she nods in agreement.

* * *

Austin and Ally don't know how they end up inside of Ally's room. After the awkward conversation they shared together with Emilia, they headed to the living room, ate some pizza and danced a little. She got a lot of gifts from the patients, though the gifts were mostly made from the craft and art class it doesn't mean any less. Paxton and Tony gave a speech about how they will miss her, and Mr. Fodder talked about how he couldn't find anyone decent to play chess anymore. She was in tears then leaned in to Austin's shoulder making his sweater wet, but he wasn't complaining because he got to hold her the entire time.

Ally puts the gifts on her bed and sighs, she closes her eyes and trying to detox the thought of her leaving this place. Then she feels a pair of arms wrap around her waist and she could feel a warm breath on her neck. "Are you trying to be romantic?"

"It depends," he says. "Is it working or not?"

"No," she laughs. "But I appreciated the effort."

She slowly pulls away from his grips and looks up into his eyes. She realizes that she's leaving tomorrow, and she doesn't even know what is going on between the two of them. Are they okay? Are they a thing now, because no way they're going to be just friends after that kiss.

He looks at her, worried, "What's going on? I could tell that you want to say something."

She backs away from him and sits on the edge of her bed, "Why do we have the worst timing ever?"

He sits next to her, "What are you talking about?"

"I'm leaving tomorrow Austin," she says.

"And?"

"And we won't be able to see each other for a long time."

"Ally, we're only one hour away. I could go to your house on the weekend and you're welcomed to visit me anytime you want," he assures her. "Everything will be fine."

She looks at him for a second and then look away. She wants to believe everything he said is real, it could be fine but as long as she's still a Dawson nothing will be easy. She puts aside all of her negative thoughts away and leans on his shoulder.

"I hope so."

She truly hopes so.

* * *

The next morning will be something they will remember. Austin has come extra early to the hospital just so he could see Ally before she leaves. Now they are sitting on the waiting bench and actually waiting for someone, her mother. Their hands are tangled together and they won't even say a word, each of them are occupied with their own thoughts.

Even Emilia knows not to say anything to the two teenagers.

Ally slowly leans her head on his arm and whispers, "I'm going to miss you."

"Me too."

Then they hear a car horn and their heads quickly turns to the glass door.

Ally sighs as soon as she realizes it's her mother car.

"That's my mother," she stands up. "She probably won't go into here, so I guess I better go."

Emilia jumps out of the receptionist's counter and pulls her in a hug, "I'm going to miss you so so so bad!"

She tightens the hugs, trying so hard not to cry. "I am too."

"Be good okay?" Emilia pulls away from the hug and wipes her tears away, she looks at Austin then at Ally. "Alright, I'm going to give you kids some privacy to say goodbye." She quickly disappears.

"This is it huh?" Ally says as soon as they are alone.

Austin yanks her arm to get her closer to him and kisses her. She closes her eyes and enjoys the feeling of his lips dominating her own lips. They pull away slowly, but still in each other arms and eyes still close. He kisses her nose ever so softly and it brings smiles on her pink lips.

"Do you want me to help you bring your stuff to the car?" he offers as they pull apart completely.

She shakes her head, "No thanks. You don't want to meet my mother, it's for your own good."

He laughs, "Okay."

Ally grabs her suitcases and walks toward the door. She takes one last look at him and smiles. _It's not the last time._ She keeps reminding herself. She tears her gaze away from him when she hears someone's calling her name from behind. "Ally!"

She's almost fainted when she sees the face of the owner of the voice.

It can't be.

Lushes brown hair and a pair of kind eyes.

She gasps as she feels two giant hands cup her face and a strong force on her lips. Her chocolate eyes widen. She wants to pull away but he won't let her, his grips are too strong. When he finally disconnects his lips from hers, she looks at the guy, "Elliot... What are you doing here?"

"What? Can a guy pick up his own girlfriend?" he says with a huge smile. He puts his arm around her shoulders, like he always does. "Come on, your mom is waiting in the car."

Her head is spinning. She doesn't know what is going on and she's pretty sure she's going to pass out on the hospital floor. Then she hears a scoff from behind.

_Shit!_ She forgets that Austin is standing behind them the whole time. She quickly turns around and sees he's ready to walk away from the scene. "Austin, wait!"

He stops and faces her, you could clearly see the disappointment in his eyes mixed with hurt and confusion. It is a familiar feeling for him really.

Ally is dying to say something. There are a thousand words inside her head, but she couldn't quite to arrange them into a decent sentence.

Instead of her saying something, Elliot grips his arm tighter on her shoulder and smiles at Austin. "I'm Elliot James, are you one of Ally's friends here? Thanks for keeping my girl a company man, I appreciate it!"

_What an asshole._ He thought.

He smiles bitterly, "No we're not friends, right Ally?"

His words sting like a killer bee to her heart. She glances at him for the last time before letting out a quiet whisper of, "Right."

Austin turns around and walk his way to the living room.

Ally watches him go but then Elliot grabs her hand and leads her out of the building.

* * *

I'm sorry for making you guys wait too long but I got no choice and tonight is the time that I could sit down and write. You can blame my school for it, I swear! I miss you guys so much!

This chapter is horrible I know, but I ran out of ideas and this is what I could think of after I saw Camper and Complications promo for a hundred times. Seriously Auslly is going to kiss, can you believe it? After all this year! Finally! And Dez is right, Elliot is a major HUNK!

Back to the chapter, okay so this is horrible give you guys permission to hate me because I kind of hate myself too. And I know some of you might it's such a rush and terrible, I know. But I couldn't make you guys wait any longer and I just want to finish this story so bad ERG!

But I hope you like it though :)

Reviews please!

~Liana


	10. tounge-tied

Hey you guys! I updated, I was too tired with Biology, Physics and Chem and I need to unleash my stress! So here it is!

CHAPTER TEN OF READY OR NOT.

Enjoy.

* * *

P. tongue-tied

It is safe to say that Ally Dawson is tongue-tied. She isn't sure how to comprehend the whole tragedy that just happened in there, she wanted to scream and shout at Austin that it wasn't like what it looked like but Elliot grabbed her hand and dragged her into her mother SUV.

Ally sees her mother on the driver's seat busy with her phone, possibly with one of her art's client. She doesn't even notice that her daughter is now sitting on the passenger's seat, until Elliot says, "We're ready to go now Mrs. D!"

Penny Dawson looks to her right and sees her daughter. She almost crooks a smile, "Allyson."

She nods and chooses not to say a word.

"How are you?" Penny tries.

"I'm fine," she speaks softly, avoiding the eye contact that her mother's trying to create.

"Good, that's good." Penny nods. She misses Ally she is her daughter after all, and she is a bit disappointed to hear her very little respond. She knows, her relationship with Ally wouldn't be sunshines and rainbows all of the sudden.

"Aren't you happy that I bring Elliot along?" Penny says as she starts driving.

Ally take a glance at the rear-view mirror to see Elliot smiling stupidly at his phone. She knows he is texting someone, and probably doesn't even want to be here but he had to pick her up to keep the contract.

She decides to shut her mouth and to not say anything, and just enjoy the one hour ride home with the people she highly dislikes.

Oh how time like this, how she wishes that she's still a patient at Sea Pine. Preferably with Austin.

. . .

Austin Moon lets the whole world know that he is in fact broken hearted. He snaps at every body who tries talking to him, he didn't eat pancakes, and if you know him well enough-you will notice that his current playlist is Bruno Mars on repeat.

And as his best friends, Dez and Trish notices the sunken soul inside of him. But this time the both of them seems to be unaware why is their best friend acting this way.

"Do you think it has anything to do with Ally?" Trish writes down on a piece of paper and slides it down to her boyfriend who is sitting next to her.

Dez looks at Mrs. Bingley who is explaining something about strong acids and bases before unfolding the paper and reads it. "How could it be about Ally. They broke up a long time ago."

"I just have this feeling. Girl's instinct, they're pretty accurate."

"I doubt it :P. Why don't we just ask him?"

"Dude, we tried but he just snapped at us."

"Could it be still about Brooke?"

Trish rolls her eyes as she reads her name. How could it be still about Brooke. She scrambles the paper then shakes her head at Dez and mouths a solid NO.

At lunch, when the three of them sit together, no one even touch the food. Austin just tortures it with his fork while Trish and Dez study him carefully, trying to figure out what is happening to him.

Trish can't take it any longer. She has been patient for a day, though it might not be a long time. But it feels like an eternity to her. "What's going on with you? And give me a proper answer, not one of those 'nothing' or 'I don't want to talk about' bullshits."

Dez nudges her and looks at her, like what she has just said is wrong and insensitive.

But she glares back, "What? I just want to know what's going on, don't you?"

"Well yes in fact I do. What's going on bud?" Dez asks him, and takes a bit of his now cold slice of pizza. "I don't know if you've noticed but you've been kinda depressed lately."

"You know that we're here for you," Trish assures him with a softer tone.

Austin looks at the two of them. He sighs, he really doesn't want to talk about it because he doesn't even know why he feels this way.

Sure, he is a little bit crushed that he found out Ally has a boyfriend the whole time they were together. It would be nice of her to mention it before she allowed him to kiss her in that store.

He shakes his head. That kiss was meaningless and obviously doesn't mean anything to the both of them, maybe it was a spur of the moment thing, he saw her being emotional and vulnerable and he honestly can't stand seeing a girl like that. He admitted that he was going to do something stupid, so it was a one time thing. Yeah, that is logical explanation.

Then what about the part when they couldn't keep their hands off each other right after that meaningless kiss. Or should he just ignored what he felt when his lips touched hers?

"Austin!" Trish's voice snaps him back to reality. Now Trish is looking a bit concerned, "What is going on ?"

"I'm fine Trish!"

"No you're not! Is it about Al-"

She hasn't even finished her sentence but Austin cut her off. "It's not about Ally, it was never about her!"

His respond was a little too quick and so suspicious. Trish rises an eyebrow then folds her arms together on her chest and says, "Oh really? Prove it."

Austin stands up quickly and tries to scan the whole cafeteria.

Trish and Dez look at each other, a little bewilder with his best friend's behavior.

"Austin what are you doing?" Dez questions him.

Austin ignores him and finally find the one who he was looking for then walks a few feet toward her and say, "Hey Brooke, are you free tomorrow night?"

"Austin what the hell are you doing?" Trish shouts from their table.

Although he clearly could hear her but he chooses to ignore it and focus on the girl in front of him.

Brooke smirks, "I know you would come to your senses. Pick me up at six-thirty?"

Austin forces a smile and nods. He turns his heels and walk back to his original table to take his backpack and tray before saying, "See? It's not about Ally." Then he leaves.

But Trish knows better.

* * *

Yup! I typed this from my phone and it irritated me like hell but Physics irritate me more so.

Ohlala Austin & Brooke will go on a date? How will it turn out?

I hope you like it and don't forget to review!

~Liana


	11. Perfect

This is Chapter Eleven of **READY OR NOT**.

Enjoy!

* * *

Fresh paint and the scent of drywall dust make Ally realizes that she is back to her old school. She feels like she's back to freshman year where everybody was staring at her like she's a freak show, do everybody know that she wasn't really at London for the pass month? Pfft, now she's just thinking nonsense nobody knows about her real absence beside Elliot. Would Elliot tell anybody, he would if he wants to lose the recording contract with her father's company.

Ally ignores the vacant stares and heads to her locker. When she reaches there, she finds Kira, her long-time and totally loyal best friend waiting for her with a beaming face. Ally rolls her eyes she is not in the mood for her bullshit.

"ALLY!" Kira attacks her with a hug. "Oh, my God, I so missed you."

Ally doesn't even hug back, she just stands still until Kira decides to let her go.

Kira smiles at her and grabs her hands, before lowering her voice to say, "I just wanna say, I know the truth. I know you were not actually in London visiting your cousin, Elliot told me and-"

"Elliot told you?" Ally laughs dryly. "Of course he would."

"Yeah, We are all best friends," Kira reminds her, with her eyes locking with hers. "I just don't understand why wouldn't you tell me? I thought I'm your bestie?"

Ally suddenly wants to puke, hearing the words came out from her mouth like a flowing river. "Kira, my bestie, did he tell you with his mouth?"

Kira looks at her strangely, "Of course he did."

"Did he also tell you with his mouth attached to your mouth?"

Ally watches her, she is unquestionably lost for words.

"What do you mean?" Kira laughs, trying to hide her nervousness.

Ally folds her arms across the chest, "I came by your house the day before my departure, I thought maybe you would help me get out of the mess that I was in since your my bestie and all. But when I walked to your room I saw you two together tangled in each other arms with no clothes on. So I left." She shrugs, she thought she was going to cry when she finally confessed to her that she knew their little secret affair. But none, nothing's dropped from her eyes. "And for future advice, please don't leave your door open bestie."

"Look Ally, I'm sorry, it was jus-"

"I don't care," she says as she opens her locker.

Kira is speechless, she doesn't know if she should leave. "You're not mad?"

"No, I am not. I thought I wanted you to die but no, in fact I wish you a very happy life with that asshole. Enjoy my leftover, bestie." Ally closes her locker. She leaves Kira by herself.

Ally walks to her class and smiles, she is proud with herself. She has to thank Dr. Moon for that, she's finally taking control of the situation. And it feels pretty damn good.

...

Trish roams around her room, she can't let her best friend making another mistake with Brooke. She understands that he was just trying to prove a point that his reason depression wasn't about Ally. But she didn't expect he would go that far and asked the bitch to go on a date with him. Tonight on a Friday night. She has to do something.

"Trish, would you settle down?" Her boyfriend says from the bed. "I thought we came to your house to watch a Zalien marathon."

"We will," she assures him. She sits next to him on the bed, "But now I have a more awesome idea."

"What could be more awesome than watching the Zalien movies?"

Trish purses her lips and stands up from the bed. She grabs her laptop from her drawer and switches it on.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm looking for Ally's address."

"Why?"

"Because Dez, because! Our stupid friend will go on a date in three hours with one person that we hate the most and you're not going to do anything about it? I am not letting him to make a stupid decision and let Brooke bewitch him again. Do you remember how long it took to get her out of his mind, Dez? Three freaking months, and I won't suffer like that again," she explains.

Dez sighs, "Hey babe, don't you think we're a little over involved in Austin's love life?"

"Listen to yourself dummy! Austin has never been good at making good decision, it is our job to keep an eye on him."

Dez nods, "I know, but you know we have to let him to learn it by himself."

Trish yells in frustration, "Are you in or are you out Dez? It's that simple."

Dez thinks for a second, "Fine, I'm in. But if he gets mad at us again, the blame is all yours."

"I'm okay with that," Trish says. "Now grab your keys cause we're going to Indian Creek."

...

"Are you sure this is her house?" Dez asks.

"I'm pretty sure."

Trish and Dez looks at the beautiful mansion upon them. The gate was made of iron and she was pretty sure that this house is three times bigger than her house back in Miami Beach.

"How do we get inside?"

"I don't know, I'm still thinking."

"Why don't you just call her?" Dez offers.

"I don't have her number," she says.

"Oh I'll call Austin and ask fo-" Before he finishes the sentence her hand slaps his arm. "Ouch!"

"You cannot ask him her number, he'll be suspicious dummy!"

Dez nods in agreement, "Right, of course. But how do we get in?"

"Maybe by ringing the doorbell?" Another voice surprises the odd couple as they turn around and see Ally standing behind them. "What are you doing here?"

"Hi!" They both say in unison.

"We're just in the neighborhood," Trish says trying to sound casual.

Ally raises her eyebrow, "Oh really?"

"We're not like stalking you nor trying to get your help sabotaging Austin's date with Brooke. Cause that would be creepy," Dez tells her.

And Trish slaps him again, "What the hell was that?! You're just basically spoiled the whole thing!" Trish turns her sight to Ally, "Is that your uniform? It looks really good on you!"

Ally smiles at her fail attempt. "Nice try."

"Listen, I know that you guys broke up and all but we really need your help with Austin," Trish pleads.

Ally looks at her and sighs. It is a nice offer really and it will be nice to talk everything out with him. But there is no doubt in her mind that he won't give her any chance. "I would really love to help you guys out but I think I'm the last person he wants to see."

"Look I don't know what is going on with you two, and I don't freaking care. But I know that he cares too much about you, he's never actually said it out loud but the way he talks about you and the way his face lights up when ever your name's brought, I know he does. And I know you care about him too, don't try to deny it because I witness your smile when I told you that. Now, he's going on a date with Brooke, the last person I can stand, just to prove me a point but we all know that it will end tragically." Trish ends her speech with a soft smile.

Ally gives in, "Fine, but I need to change first. I will see you in a few minutes."

"Great!" Dez exclaims. "Take all the time you need."

...

Seven pm. The gang arrive at the pizza place, according to Dez's prediction Austin will be here because this is the place where he usually takes all the girls he doesn't want to go on a date with. They quickly search for the blond guy, and it is hard since the place is kinda of crowded. But then Trish spots them, sitting near the window. She looks at Ally who is feeling a little bit hesitant about the plan. What is she going to say? Clearly she didn't think this through. There is something in her stomach like she wants to puke when she cites Brooke and Austin together.

"Hey, don't worry I bet they're having a terrible time," Trish tries to cheer her up.

Dez nods in agreement, "Are we doing this or what?"

Ally closes her eyes, trying to think. But too late, Trish has grabbed her arm and dragged her to his table.

"Oh, my God! What a coincidence seeing you two here!" Trish's voice is a pitch higher than usual. "I didn't know you two were going on a date in this place. Austin must have cared so much about you Brooke, since he brought you here to a place where he always brings his dates that he never truly cares about."

"Hi Trisha," Brooke faked a smile. "What brought you here?"

"What are you doing here Trish?!" Austin says furiously, he steals a glance at Ally and they make an eye contact for a second.

"Oh you know, Dez and I ran into Ally and we were pretty hungry so we decided to grab something to eat!" Trish says. "And since the restaurant is pretty crowded, can you guys move over a little so we all can sit down."

"THere is a perfectly empty table in there," Brooke points at the table.

"Yeah, but wouldn't it be nicer to sit together and catch up a little?" Dez chimes in and sits next to Brooke. Trish nods and take a seat next to her boyfriend, leaving no choice for Ally but to sit next to Austin.

Trish looks at the two teens across the table and smiles, "Perfect."

* * *

There you go folks! Sorry for the wait!

And what do you think? It will be an awkward dinner for sure, tune in and review :)

~Liana


End file.
